Juicy Grilled Caprese Chicken
This delicious Caprese Chicken brings together everything we love about a traditional caprese situation, but with the addition of grilled chicken! Store-bought basil pesto, homemade marinated tomatoes, melty mozzarella cheese, and balsamic glaze. Whip up this easy, flavorful dish for a memorable lunch or dinner that everyone will swoon over! Grilling, oven, and stovetop notes provided!
Hey y’all! Super excited to share some summer-inspired recipes with you all week long! These are eats that I’ve been obsessed with during the season and have been on repeat in my home, #cantgetenough. It’s August, and that still means it’s summer…so plz hold on with all of the fall stuff, I beg 😫.
Extra Juicy Caprese Chicken 😍
My lil garden has been poppin’ off with cherry tomatoes, and I’ve been finding ways to use ’em up! I developed this recipe with traditional caprese in mind, but with the addition of chicken to make it much more filling.
Juicy, flavorful chicken piled with rich + melty mozzarella cheese, delicious basil pesto, and glazed balsamic vinegar…hello deliciousness. It’s fuss-free, brimming with flavors and textures, and makes for the perfect summer dinner.
Ingredients Needed For This Recipe:
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)
- Chicken breasts: The chicken part recommended here.
- Italian dressing & garlic sauce: For marinating the chicken.
- Italian seasoning: A pop of herby flavor!
- Mozz cheese: What is caprese without that mozz, duh.
- Basil pesto: Mmm it’s sooo fresh, so good!
- Balsamic glaze: Love the ultra-savoriness of balsamic goodness.
Marinated Tomatoes! 🍅
These homemade marinated tomatoes are such a delicacy, friends. The tomatoes are combined in a simple blend of oil, vinegar, and a few spices. Just toss together and let sit for a bit for all of the flavors to marry, mmm. They add a lovely bit of freshness that complements the other rich aspects of this grilled caprese chicken recipe. Gah, they’re little bombs of perfection!
Hella Moist & Flavorful Chicken= Marinate!:
My secret ingredients to extra juicy and flavor-packed grilled chicken for this recipe reside in 2 ingredients…Italian dressing + garlic sauce (aka toum)- I use this one. We’ll bathe/soak the chicken in this marinade, and it results in the juiciest chicken, ever 🙌🏾. Low effort, high reward that singssss!
Alternative Cooking Methods for Chicken:
I use a traditional grill for this caprese chicken recipe but feel free to use other methods:
- Stovetop: Prep and marinate the chicken as directed in the recipe card below. In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil. When hot, working in batches, add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 6-7 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue cooking on the other side for 5-6 minutes or until the chicken registers 165°F when checked with an internal thermometer. Add mozzarella cheese over the chicken breasts and cover the skillet with a lid until the cheese is melty. Then proceed with recipe instructions to finish and serve.
- Oven: Prep and marinate the chicken as directed in the recipe card below. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Bake the chicken breasts, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken registers 165°F when checked with an internal thermometer. Add mozzarella cheese over the chicken breasts and broil just until the cheese is melty- be sure to keep an eye on ’em during the broil. Then proceed with recipe instructions to finish and serve.
This Caprese Chicken is simple yet has that showstopper flair that the whole fam will appreciate and get down with. Be sure to tag @butterbeready in your BBR recipe creations, I sure love to see it when you do. Until next time! 🤟🏾
More incredible BBR mains:
- Creamy Garlic Herb Chicken
- Hibachi Steak Bowls
- Pork Tenderloin w/ Dijon Cream Sauce
- Cajun Seafood Boil
- Southern Hamburger Steaks
- Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Juicy Grilled Caprese Chicken
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Main Dishes
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Description
This delicious Caprese Chicken brings together everything we love about a traditional caprese situation, but with the addition of grilled chicken! Store-bought basil pesto, homemade marinated tomatoes, melty mozzarella cheese, and balsamic glaze. Whip up this easy, flavorful dish for a memorable lunch or dinner that everyone will swoon over!
Ingredients
For the caprese chicken:
- 2 ½ lbs chicken breasts (about 4 pieces)
- ½ cup Italian dressing (we use Wish-Bone)
- ⅓ cup Toom garlic dip (or any garlic sauce aka toum)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper- to taste
- 8 ounces sliced fresh mozzarella– about 2 per chicken breast
- ¼ cup basil pesto, divided
- Aged balsamic vinegar glaze, for drizzling
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnishing- optional
For the marinated tomatoes (topping):
- 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste or powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
- Prep chicken. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel. Lay the chicken breasts on a cutting board and use a meat mallet to pound the chicken to an even thickness, about ½-inch thick. Then place the chicken breasts into a shallow baking dish or large resealable plastic bag, and set aside.
- Marinate the chicken. Add the Italian dressing, Toom garlic dip, Italian seasoning, and salt/pepper- to taste. Use your hands (fitted with disposable gloves if desired) to massage the ingredients into the chicken until everything is well combined and the chicken is fully coated. Cover the dish with plastic wrap/foil or seal the bag and then refrigerate to marinate for at least 6 hours or more preferably overnight.
- Cook chicken. You can cook up your chicken in a variety of ways (indoor grill pan or traditional grill). Before grilling: Remove the chicken from the fridge and let sit out on the counter to come to room temperature before hitting the grill.
- To grill chicken: Preheat the grill with the direct heat method to 400°F (medium-high heat) and lightly grease the grates. Shake off excess marinade and add the chicken breasts to the hot grates. Let the chicken grill with the lid closed for about 5-7 minutes per side or until the chicken registers at least 165°F when checked with a meat thermometer.
- Add the mozzarella: While the chicken is still on the grill, carefully place two slices of mozzarella over the surface of each chicken breast. Close the lid and continue cooking until the mozzarella is slightly melted, about 1-2 minutes. Then gently transfer the mozzarella-topped chicken to a serving platter.
- Add the pesto & finish caprese chicken. Spread a tablespoon of basil pesto over the melty mozzarella on top of each chicken breast. Then spoon the marinated cherry tomatoes over the chicken (some will likely fall on the platter, that’s okay) followed by a healthy drizzle of balsamic vinegar glaze over the chicken breasts to finish.
- Garnish & serve. Garnish the platter with fresh basil leaves, if desired. Serve the grilled caprese chicken immediately as-is or alongside your favorite sides. Enjoy!
Notes
- For oven & stovetop notes: see blog post for alternative cooking methods.
- Please read blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.
Recipe by: Quin Liburd- Butter Be Ready
Photography by: Ashley McLaughlin
